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Manchester United Fan View: Could misfit Schneiderlin be re-born under Mourinho?

Morgan Schneiderlin struggled under Louis van Gaal following his £25m move to Manchester United. The 26-year-old endured a rocky first campaign but the stats prove United are a better side with him playing…

Football - Everton v Manchester United - Barclays Premier League - Goodison Park - 17/10/15 Manchester United's Morgan Schneiderlin celebrates scoring their first goal Action Images via Reuters / Carl Recine (Reuters)

Schneiderlin is still one of the best Premier League defensive midfielders

One area Manchester United won’t need to focus in the summer is defensive midfielder, despite Schneiderlin finding it hard to retain a place in the first XI on a regular basis. He has been pretty much in and out of the United line-up under Van Gaal, but he played a vital role during his final year at Southampton to help them finish in the top six.

Schneiderlin completed the third most interceptions for United, managing on average 2.5 per game, but with the Red Devils having another poor season, he became an easy target. Yet it’s mainly a confidence thing, as he was consistently misused by the Dutchman. Schneiderlin is the only natural defensive midfielder United have and in the big games they missed him. Bastian Schweinsteiger and Michael Carrick were used in a role to dominate possession and dictate the game instead of committing towards the defensive side. Schneiderlin played five League games against the top four and the United have lost on only one of those occasions.

Long-term replacement for Michael Carrick

With Michael Carrick not being offered a new contract so far, Schneiderlin should slot into the holding midfield role for years to come. Carrick has been a vital player, especially during the 2012/13 season, but the Englishman isn’t always fully appreciated - like Schneiderlin, he is a player who adds steel to the midfield when protecting the defence, the way he breaks up play and can quickly starts a counter attack. Schneiderlin at his best should remind United fans of the 2012/13 Carrick.

Schneiderlin has the legs to run and press, which is the main advantage he has compared to the other defensive midfielders United have. He’s very effective on the ball, completing 89.5% of hisl passes, the highest percentage from the United squad. Once he is used in the right system, Schneiderlin will become a key player. 

The Frenchman will prove everyone wrong soon...

Schneiderlin will be prepared to prove everyone wrong andadmitted he isn’t fully satisfied with his debut campaign. When Southampton were promoted to the Premier League, Schneiderlin was heavily criticised by many people and all it took him was a few extra months to prove the doubters wrong. He finished the same season with the most tackles (139), interceptions (146) and highest work rate in the league. I believe Schneiderlin will prove everyone wrong once again and he will let the critics know why he was worth every single penny of the £25m it cost United to sign him.

Schneiderlin a perfect fit in Mourinho’s system

Jose Mourinho's system has always involved a defensive midfielder, who offers more than just protecting the defence. When Mourinho's 2014/15 Chelsea side won the league - Nemanja Matic was the big jigsaw piece that helped the club win the title. Many will say Diego Costa or Cesc Fabregas were the key players during that season, but Chelsea's performances often hinged on how well Matic could break up the play and protect his defence. Hopefully this can be replicated by Schneiderlin for Manchester United, which could lead them to being title challengers.

After an average first season, the Frenchman would feel like a new signing for United next season under Mourinho. United lost 15 games this season and Schneiderlin started only six of them, which does imply that the side need him in the starting line-up on a weekly basis. And Jose can bring the best out of him.